Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Ralph Branca of the New York Giants???

Anyone who knows baseball history knows of Ralph Branca and the Shot Heard Round the World, and hopefully folks remember him as a great pitcher and overall a good guy, and one of the people behind the BAT program helping out ex-ballplayers.

He was battling injuries late in his career and bounced from the Dodgers to the Tigers, then the Yankees. He has a year off from the majors, then appears once more for Brooklyn.

“Branca…rejected an offer by the New York Giants to hurl for
their Minneapolis farm club in the American association.”

The Yankees signed Branca after Detroit had released him. His ERA was under 3.00 in his short time in the pinstripes, but he walked more than one batter per inning pitched and was let go. This time, he took the Minneapolis offer. From the Pittsburgh Press of Dec. 10, 1954:

“Branca…was signed as a free agent yesterday by the Giants’
Minneapolis farm team of the American Association”

He was hoping to catch on with the Giants, but it wasn't to be. A 3-3 mark and an ERA over 7.50 got him released, according to his book and this article from the Troy NY Times Record of March 5, 1957:

“I haven’t done much pitching since I was release by
Minneapolis in July, 1955…”